COLONEL DE | CORPORATE IDENTITY

We designed a simple, approachable and appetizing integrated brand identity system for Colonel De spices in Cincinnati, Ohio.

De Stewart, aka Colonel De, asked us to help him with his latest project: a gourmet herb and spice shop. Located in historic Findlay Market in the Over-the-Rhine historic district of Cincinnati, Colonel De needed a strong brand identity. De is well known for his likeness–especially the mustache–so that became brand equity we could build on for his identity.

Colonel De offers high-quality, raw herbs and spices, specializing in masterful blends. As part of the brand identity system, we developed ways to package different combinations of those through package labels, wrappers, brochures and more. We photographed everything to ensure that the quality of the product shined through. The end result is simple, approachable and appetizing.

Our approach was to the brand identity was “Professional but Approachable”. It was important to show how professional chefs and home cooks alike appreciate what De offers. The brand identity and graphic system was translated through packaging, interiors, website and branded merchandise.

White Design Studio is a multidisciplinary design firm located in Columbus and Cincinnati, Ohio. We specialize in the design, production, and installation of integrated branding solutions. Our solutions orchestrate corporate identity, marketing, storytelling, environmental, photography, video, print and interactive elements. At White Design Studio, we believe the best way to communicate your brand’s story is through branded environments and experiences. We work with manufacturers, service providers, non-profits, architects and developers, agencies, distributors, governments and municipalities, and museums. First, we identify the work that a campaign, space, or interactive needs to do. We can then model a vision of what success looks like, and design to meet that vision. We are passionate about helping clients communicate their value through well-crafted storytelling, a consistent 2D, 3D, and digital design approach and expert production techniques.

Strategy: White Design Studio is your strategically-focused design source. Our marketing communications are custom-tailored to meet our customers’ objectives. Our creative solutions take many forms, but all are designed for maximum effectiveness. Each solution delivers key brand messaging to a wide variety of audiences.

Brand Audit: Every brand needs realigning every five years or so. White Design Studio provides comprehensive brand audits to help evaluate what existing materials support or, more importantly, dilute your brand. We’ll make your identity stronger and offer suggestions to move your group to a more integrated brand experience.

Naming: Creating a new company or product name is an art in itself. White Design Studio helps customers create names and supporting taglines or service lines that become the foundation of the brand. Our unique naming process is strategic. We set objectives for what the name needs to do, then generate a series of potential options for evaluation. We even invented a scoring system to help us determine the strongest name. Once finalists are chosen, our design process begins. We then layer on all of the graphic elements to further define the new identity. Finally, we select the strongest overall logo or brand for development and implementation.

Identity: Corporate Identity, branding and logo design is the foundation of any successful communications strategy. Peter White and White Design Studio have been inventing, developing, interpreting and extending brands for over 40 years!

Printed: Even in the Digital Age, print elements are still an important component in most successful communications strategies. White Design Studio and Peter White have over 40 years experience in designing and producing a variety of printed pieces. Corporate Capability Brochures, Newsletters, Product Brochures, and Catalogs, Direct Mail and Spec Sheets–as well as creating ads for publications, magazines, and newspapers–are just a few of the elements that we provide for our customers. Each piece is an integrated component of the overall brand, and each delivers targeted messages to the intended audience. Seamless branding across any medium is our passion.

Web/Mobile: Website solutions are an important part of any integrated branding effort. We obsess over the user experience UI and User Experience UX. Expert SEO–Search Engine Optimization–integration ensures that your message will be easily found and seen by your targeted audiences.

White Design Studio operates most efficiently in the design sweet-spot between environments, identity, and communications. Comfortable stretching any direction, we are at ease designing for one element. But, we are at our best when we can combine each element to develop a fully integrated brand and messaging system. We collaborate with industry-leading professionals on large-scale projects, but can also comfortably operate as your single-source design partner. We partner with Developers, Architects, Engineers, Facility Managers, Creative Directors, Marketing Departments Advertising Agencies and other Design Studios.